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Melvin looking for A's to shore up defense

5/13/13: Derek Norris throws out Ian Kinsler attempting to steal second base for the first out of the first inning

By Jane Lee
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MLB.com |

OAKLAND -- Oakland's defensive doings this year haven't exactly wowed its manager, which prompted extra early work before Tuesday night's game against the Rangers.

It's something Bob Melvin likes doing, anyway, no matter how his club is fielding.

"I think we need to do this periodically during the course of the season," Melvin said. "During Spring Training, it's all we do. We do it every day, and then we get into the season and it's not typical to do something like that."

The A's entered Tuesday tied for the fourth-lowest fielding percentage (.983) in the American League, having tallied 24 errors. Last year, they finished third in that category (.982) after committing 111 errors.

"If it's once every month or so," Melvin said of the extra work, "I think it's good just to refresh on things, whether it's bunt plays or just fielding your position if we're not doing it as well as we'd like, which to this point has been the case."

Jane Lee is a reporter for MLB.com. Read her blog, Major Lee-ague, and follow her on Twitter @JaneMLB. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.